A little disappointed with the Ruck.... Still cool though!

Walking Man

Walking Man

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Does anyone besides me find that the ruck is really forward heavy?
My AK is much better balanced, even though it's longer. (micarta handle)
I can't really figure this one out, since the proportions appear to be pretty close to each other. The Ruck does appear to have the corrugated bevels, so maybe the Corrugate Bevel thingy might make a much bigger difference than I have been giving it credit for.
BTW..... It's still a great Busse, but I was hoping for something livelier, and more like a wakazashi, than a small machete. Which also confuses me, because as a military overrun, you'd think the boys in green would want a more weaponized sword. :confused:
 
I agree with you. I didn't want a little chopper, but it is still a really cool sword.
 
I wasn't aware that the Ruck was an overrun. If you want, send it to me and I'll give it a good workout. This should remove a decent amount of coating on the front and hopefully move the balance a bit more to the handle. ;)

Actually, this doesn't surprise me too much. I saw the pictures that Porkerson (who's fault this is) posted and the handle looked very thin compared to his AK. If I had been able to swing one of these, I would have liked it to be more of a machete. It's what I would have used it for. That and slaying small zombies of course. ;)

For those of us without, feel free to post some pics.
 
BTW..... It's still a great Busse said:
I've been giving those a hard look, and I would want it more as a machete. I think most Military would agree. If you look at the hawks, hatchets and knives in use by 99% of the miltary, it's a tool first and a weapon second (albeit a very close second). If I were in triple canopy stuff, I think the weight forward design of the Ruck would be more beneficial than a neutral balance for swordplay.


That being said, I haven't handled one... But I hope to have the chance. I hate that I missed out when they came available. I'm going to try and stand by my resolution of never passing up a Busse from the shop again!
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winmagfrog said:
. If I were in triple canopy stuff, I think the weight forward design of the Ruck would be more beneficial than a neutral balance for swordplay.
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IF I were in a covert special forces unit (of course, that's assuming that these Busses were meant for a special forces unit, which probably isn't the case.), I would think swordplay wouldn't be much of an issue. Just a little more zing for faster and/or easier slicing and dicing as needed, and mostly from behind.
 
Yes, someone else mentioned the forward weight balance, and they also mentioned that it is considerably thicker than the Ak47, so the forward balance makes sense. I am actually looking forward to the forward balance and I am planning on making it even more so by taking 2 inches off the handle to make it into a knife handle instead of a 2 handed sword handle. It wll make it more compact and push the balance point even further forward making it an even better chopper. I will probably want to put a 5 inch long false edge on it to make it a better penetrator, but not sure yet.

I can't wait to get mine:thumbup:

I am glad Winmafrog did not trade me for one of my Rucks to be. :D
 
I think they Rock just the way they are! The perfect FMA sword in my opinion.
 
Interesting.. anybody have Weight of AK vs Ruck ?
and/or cool "pencil balancing" pics?

just from the pics.. i would've thought Ruck would be "livelier".
Cobalt's got a point.. a false edge would reduce forward weight..
 
Cobalt said:
Yes, someone else mentioned the forward weight balance, and they also mentioned that it is considerably thicker than the Ak47, so the forward balance makes sense. I am actually looking forward to the forward balance and I am planning on making it even more so by taking 2 inches off the handle to make it into a knife handle instead of a 2 handed sword handle. It wll make it more compact and push the balance point even further forward making it an even better chopper. I will probably want to put a 5 inch long false edge on it to make it a better penetrator, but not sure yet.

I can't wait to get mine:thumbup:

I am glad Winmafrog did not trade me for one of my Rucks to be. :D
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This I am looking forward to seeing. Sounds like a interesting modification. :thumbup: :D
 
thick micarta and a longer tang. those two things will make a HUUUGE difference in the balance of any knife.

The micarta doesnt really weight that much more, but its thicker all the way down - and the tang extends farther. The metal that makes up the tang, being 3/16" thick from where the ruck ends to the pommel will weight a considerable amount.

The blade is shorter, but the blade is essentially a triangle of steel, where as the tang is a square, the tang material having a noticably heavier weight per inch, combined with the heavier micarta.

extending the tang on something like this where the blade geometry is kept the same (full flat ground) will have a very noticable difference in the general balance of the peice.




That being said - hearing that its more blade heavy just makes me want it more! :D If I ever have the money, I'm going to have busse combat (if they let me) trade out the magnum scales for normal to move the balance forward.

The ak47 was an awesome peice (wish hadn't had to sell it), but I felt that it was too neutral to, forcing you to use a 2 handed push cut for heavy resistance items (when used as a sword). I've only held one truly even balanced "true" katana, wich was a 1650 peice that my freind had for seeminly no reason, along side a ww2 officers katana... didn't really make sense since he wasn't into knives at all - but that thing.... ooooh god. like heaven in your hand. It literally dissapeared. you weren't holding a sword, you weren't holding anything, it just became a part of your body. Thats probably the only instance where I liked a neutral balance in a long sword, but that was because it was a masterpeice.

I actually wouldn't mind getting another ak47 someday and trading out the scales for ruck thickness scales.... having it be more forward heavy would help my ability to do extended slashes without having to controll the forward momentum so much with my body.
 
winmagfrog said:
HUhh??? Was I sleeping? :grumpy:
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LOL
ok, maybe I mistook you for someone else.:foot: It's all a foggy memory, but it was whomever had a Terror Monkey BM for trade or sale. We dealt back and forth about it and I never heard back.
 
tony22r said:
... anybody have Weight of AK vs Ruck ?
and/or cool "pencil balancing" pics?...
Click to expand...

color me inspired.

first:
3.jpg


but the pencil trick sounds great...

1. The setup. I have a little seating ledge area that has a childproof foam wrap around it. I stabbed a pencil through it, and stuck a wusthof knife block on one end to stabilize the pencil. The rig us suspended over carpet by about 2 feet. Simple. To show a good contrast, i threw a 'hello kitty' plastic table cloth on the blue carpet. talk about scientific ;)

3-10.jpg




2. Just a little bit of love and:

3-9.jpg

3-6.jpg




3. A closeup:
3-8.jpg

3-7.jpg


I know, i am no photographer, but quick and dirty shows the Ruck has a balance point forward of the Cholli, about 3/16"? more than the AK. Me likey, but i may toss on a short lanyard, or try a fishing weight inside one of the open rivets to see if it makes a diff. in the/my hand?
 
thanks for the pics Ironballs. Does 1/2" really make a difference? I find that surprising :confused:
 
Chocula said:
thanks for the pics Ironballs. Does 1/2" really make a difference? I find that surprising :confused:
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to me, the forward balance diff. is not noticeable, and the shorter profile of of the Ruck makes her very fast in my hand. I know generally, a 1/2" can be make a big diff for quick direction changes.. but the diff. here is less than the width of a pencil,.. personally i love the Ruck, but to each their own jah know.
 
I like the Balance of the Ruck. It is more utilitarian and useful as a machete this way. Besides, ninja-style sentry deanimation is a myth.
 
based on those pics, I figure I can take off the last hole plus leave about 1/2 inch from the third hole and that would be more than enough handle. It might be over 2 inches of steel and micarta that I will remove.
 
Ironballs,
AWESOME balancing pics! ..that's a strong pencil!
Thanks for putting those pics up!


Chocula,
re: "Does 1/2" really make a difference?"
i guess it Must! folks' general impressions are that AK is "more balanced", and Ruck is more "forward".
How the rest of the mass is distributed front/back of balance point can also affect Feel.

Hard to explain.. but in auto racing.. when a car or motorcycle's mass is Centralized.. car will "rotate" better, bike will lean faster and feel more tossable.
whereas on an Equal weight car but w/ the mass at the outer edges.. it'll feel more sluggish.
same overall weight.. maybe even same center of mass.. but different moments of inertia cuz of mass Distribution. blah blah
 
My Cheness is a cheap sword but it feels very light and lively in the hand.
I have been considering modifing a Ruck to take a traditional Tsuka and saya
thaen polishing the blade as best I could. I would add a bit of lead to the handle to get the balance right. A traditional looking sword made of infi would be awesome.
 
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